Asked to Share Food In Cote d'Ivoire

There is a rich man / poor man mentality in Cote d'Ivoire, or Ivory Coast West Africa. I was sitting on the concrete steps close to the Hotel Las Palmas in Grand Bassam yesterday when a man in a suit walks up to me than says,"you do not share you food?"

I had some popcorn, so I held the bag out to pour some into his hand, he refused and pointed at a unopened bag that was sitting by my side.

I looked at him in the universal language of "your an idiot." And all my local friends from the neighborhood started to laugh, they know me and knew this was not correct.

He did not want to share, he wanted to take, this is an insult in my USA culture, to have person believe they can just be given something for nothingm, this is a con or hustle. He was not a beggar, this man was walking in a Suit handing out business cards that said he was running for President of the country. He is just one of 15, not an important one.

This mentality cripples Africa, and I do not know the solution.

The celebration of Abissa was in progress, and many people told me I was cheap. I enjoy this, and know it is more or less the macho part of Africa, however I also know that a newbie traveler would eventually feel abused.